1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to adhesive mounts; specifically to pressure-sensitive adhesive mounts which are covered, protected, and isolated by release sheets.
2 Description of Prior Art
Heretofore, many methods have been devised for adhering objects, such as; decals, utility hooks, labels, pictures, and wall paper onto mounts, supports, columns, cones, mats, windows, and boards.
While liquid adhesives can be used, they are messy, frequently damage moisture-sensitive products, tend to warp paper products, tend to mar pictures, tend to drip or run when used on vertical surfaces, and take time to dry.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives have been used, but require considerable skill to ensure accurate placement of the object on the adhesive. Failure to accurately position the object on the adhesive requires delicate corrective measures. Accidental contact with the adhesive is difficult to remedy. Also, accidental contact often results in damage to the adhesive, the object, the mount or any combination of the three.
A picture mount is shown in patent 3,517,106 to Chase (1970) which attempted to address this problem with the use of thick sheets of release paper overlying an adhesive on a picture mount. This mount was designed so that one or more release sheets could be removed to expose sections of adhesive. A picture was then placed upon the remaining thick release sheets, By virtue of their thickness the picture should not have contacted the adhesive. The picture was then moved about on top of the remaining thick release sheets until accurately located. Accurate location was found by referring to guide lines on the release sheets. The picture was then pressed down to contact the exposed adhesive. To remove the remaining thick release sheet sections, the portion of the picture which did not adhere was bent away from the mount. The thick release sheet sections were then grasped and pulled off the mount. The remaining unadhered portions of the picture were then pressed down to contact the adhesive.
This approach had several disadvantages. Most notably, it was unsatisfactory for mounting photographs since photographs possess different characteristics from many other types of pictures. Photographs tend to curl backwards during processing due to the shrinking of the photographic paper but not its emulsion coating. Even when positioned face up upon a flat surface, the photograph will remain curled because the backside of the photographic paper has shrunk more than the front side containing the emulsion coating.
If the mount is of the type which is designed to have one of the end release sheet sections removed first, the end of the photograph overhanging the exposed adhesive will bend backwards. Unless the release sheet is very thick, the photograph will bridge the distance between the plane of the release sheet and the plane of the adhesive. Positioning a photograph on release sheets of this type of mount will require very thick release sheets to prevent accidental contact with the exposed adhesive. When the photograph is pressed down to contact the exposed adhesive, it is forced to bridge the gap between the plane of the thick release sheet and the plane of the exposed adhesive. This bridging re-positions the photograph relative to the mount up toward the position of the remaining release sheet. This diminishes the accuracy of the photograph's final mounted position.
A variation on the above mount requires the removal of a central release sheet section prior to placing a picture upon it. The adhesive web beneath is exposed with the removal of this central release sheet section. The photograph is placed upon the remaining thick release sheet sections. The photograph is moved about to position as desired. The area of the photograph overlying the exposed adhesive is then subjected to digital pressure so that the photograph is forced down between the remaining thick release sheet sections, pressing it into contact with the exposed adhesive. The ends of the photograph are then bent away from the mount. The ends of the thick release sheet sections are then grasped and pulled up off the mount.
These picture mounts and the procedures for using them have several disadvantages:
(a) The photograph in this type of mount is subjected to digital pressure as it is forced down into contact with the exposed adhesive. Digital pressure commonly mars the surface of the photograph. PA1 (b) The bending of the photograph while pushing it into contact with the adhesive stretches the paper and mars the surface of the photograph. PA1 (c) The remaining thick release sheet sections are removed. The unadhered end of the photograph is grasped and bent sharply away from the mount to facilitate removal of the thick release sheets. This bending back of the photograph further subjects the photograph to damaging forces. PA1 (d) All of these types of mounts are unnecessarily complex, and use excessive amounts of materials which increase weight, cost, and waste. PA1 (e) Guide lines are usually included on the release sheets. The guide lines are intended to assist the user in accurate placement of the photograph on the remaining release sheet sections. This approach is useful, but requires extreme accuracy in the placement of these release sheets relative to the mount. The extreme accuracy needed to position the release sheet containing the guide lines, makes assembly of this type of mount difficult. PA1 (f) Under certain circumstances, a release sheet will shift relative to the mount. This shifting can occur because of a shearing force which slides it over the surface of the adhesive, or because the adhesive runs or shifts. In these situations, this type of mount is impractical. PA1 (g) The use of opaque release sheets can obscure and distract from accurate placement of the picture on the mount. PA1 (a) to provide a simple, inexpensive adhesive mount and a method enabling unskilled users to use the same, PA1 (b) to provide an adhesive mount and a method for mounting pictures, photographs, two-dimensional, perspective illustrations and the like, which overcome the difficulties of the previously mentioned mounts, PA1 (c) to provide an adhesive mount and a method which provides greater accuracy in the positioning and adhesion of objects to mounts, PA1 (d) to provide an adhesive mount and a method for unskilled persons to accurately position and adhere photographs of varied sizes to prepared mounts, PA1 (e) to provide guiding elements on the mounts which identify appropriate locations for positioning photographs of slightly varied sizes, and PA1 (f) to provide an adhesive mount and method for mounting pictures and the like which does not damage pictures by bending and warping them. PA1 (g) to provide an adhesive mount on which an object can be accurately located prior to exposing an adhesive, PA1 (h) to provide an adhesive mount with mounting materials which will not visually obscure or distract from accurate placement of an object on a mount, PA1 (i) to provide an adhesive mount with mounting materials which will not distract from the aesthetics of the mount, PA1 (j) to provide a greeting card or post card which will enhance the aesthetics of a photograph while presenting the consumer with a professional yet personalised greeting card or post card, PA1 (k) to provide a greeting card or postcard which will emphasize the pictures adhered to them, PA1 (l) to provide a greeting card or postcard which utilizes textured paper, PA1 (m) to provide a greeting card or postcard which will not become obsolete as the technology of personal computers and video disk cameras is intertwined, making the reproduction and manipulation of photographs increasingly accessible to the general public, PA1 (n) to provide a product which will fulfill the consumers' needs while increasing point of purchase sales of photo finishing products and services, PA1 (o) to provide an adhesive and a covering release sheet which will allow the viewing of material beneath them, PA1 (p) to provide an adhesive and a release sheet which allow the viewing of instructions, illustrations, symbols or other illustrations beneath the adhesive and the release sheet, whereby the need for separate instructions and their additional expenses is reduced, and PA1 (q) to provide the materials and a method for adhering objects to mounts.